Clamp



M. A. SOHST july 242 19.24.V

CLAMP Filed Nov. 1

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p1 L' nl'. MART/N A; 50H67. By

du-@Zik Patented July Z2, 1924.

UNITED STATES MARTIN A. SOEST, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

CLAMP.

Application filed November 1, 1922.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN A. SoHs'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in a Clamp, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a clamp and especially to an adjustable spring clamp which may be readily attached to the edge of a. table for the purpose of securing the table cloth in a stretched or tautY condition and against accidental displacement or removal.

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify devices of the character described; to provide a clamp which willgrip the table edge and cloth with spring tension and prevent tearing of the cloth or marring of the'table; and further a clamp which may be quickly attached or removed, and which is both vertically and longitudinally adjustable to take care of table tops of varying thickness and depth.. Other objects will hereinafter appear.

One form which my invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l is a perspective View of the clamp.

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view of a table showing the application onf-the clamp.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3 3, Fig. 1. l

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 3, A indicates in general a U-shaped clamp, consisting of a top leg 2, a lower leg 3, and a vertical leg fl. Slidably mounted on the lower leg 3 is a clip 5, and attached thereto as at 6 is a leaf spring 7, on the upper end of which is mounted a clamping plate 8. This plate is pivotally attachegd to the upper end of `the leaf spring, as shown at 9, and may therefore be turned to assume the position shown in Fig. 1, or the transverse position indicated by dotted lines at 10.

The upper. surface of the clamping niember 8 is covered with felt or a similar fabric, as shown at 11, to prevent marring of the table edge or tearing of the cloth, and the lower face of the upper leg 2 is similarly lined as at 12. The clamp as a whole in reality consists of Atwo sections,

Serial No. 598,241.

that is the vertical leg a, which connects the 4 passes upwardly between the. inturned flanges r13 and as such permits extension or construction of the vertical leg.

For the purpose of locking the vertical leg sections il and 4 against extension when, adjusted, a spring lock` is employed. This lock is produced by indentations 14 formed in the leg section 49, and similar shaped projections 15 are formed in the inturned flanges 13.

Most table tops, such as shown at B in Fig. 2, vary in thickness and such thickness may be readily takeny care of in the present instance by adjust-ing the vertical legs d and si@ with relation to each other, and it may also be taken care of due to the fact that the clamping member 8 is resiliently supported with relation to the lower leg 3 by means of the interposed leaf spring 7. The edge clearance between the outer `edge of the table top and the trim or molding sho-wn at C also varies to a considerable extent and this may be taken care of by longitudinal adjustment of the clip 5, and in some instances by turning the clamping member 8 to assume the transverse position shown by dotted lines at 10 in Fig. 1.

kThe clamp has many uses, for instance, when playing cards or other games it is often desirable to cover the table with a cloth or the like. In such instances the cloth often becomes displaced or accidentally removed and as such is more or less of a nuisance, but by employing clamps such as here shown, the cloth may be. securely fastened and stretched and a smooth surface is thus'presented, which will neither be displaced nor accidentally removed.

The top legs of the clamp may be ornamented, for instance by `placing one of the card symbols on the upper surface as shown at 16, or the owners initials may be engraved thereon, etc.; that is the clamp is not only useful in ,connection with card tables, but also on dining room tables and otherwiseJ and in that instance the clamp may be silver-plated and when applied to the table, it does not only add an ornamental ettect, but positively secures the cloth against displacement or removal. This is a decided advantage, particularly where small children are running about as it is Well known that they often grasp the edge ot the table cloth and thereby cause considerable confusion and damage* The clamp is exceedingly simple in construction and when applied grips the table edge and the cloth with spring tension. lt may therefore be quickly applied or removed, and, as it is both vertically and longitudinally adjustable, practically any type or size of table may be taken care ot'.

By referring to .F 3 it will be noted that therinturned flanges are also covered with felt or a like material as shown at 17, and

as this is the case it can readi v be seen that 35t may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. ln' a clamp ot the chai acier described, an upper and a lower leg, means permitting vertical adjustment ot said legs, a rightangular extension on each leg, a clip slidably mounted on the extension ot the lower leg, a leaf-spring secured to said clip, a clampingiplate carried by said leaf-spring and resiliently supported thereby, said clampingplate cooperating with the rightangular extension ot the upper leg to torm a clamp, and means permitting turning movement of the clamping plate with relation to the leaf-spring.`

2. A clamp consisting ottwo angle shaped plates, means permitting a telescoping action or the legs ot' the plates, trictional means resisting suchtelescoping actionand normally.maintaining a fixed spacing between the plates, a clip slidably' mounted on one ot the plates, anda resiliently supported clamp supported by said clip and cooperating with the other plate to form a clamp.

A clamp ot' the character described, comprising an upper and a lower leg, an inturned flange formed on each side ot the upper' leg, said inturned flanges serving as guides and gripping means tor the lowerI leg, a right-angular extension on each leg, and a spring supported clamping member carried by the right-angular extension' on the lower leg and cooperating with the rightangular extension on the upper leg to form clamp.

MARTIN A. SOHST. 

